Donald Trump has officially been sworn in as the 47th President of the United States at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, on Monday. JD Vance also took the oath of office as the Vice-President. The 60th Presidential Inauguration Ceremony https://t.co/kTB4w2VCdI — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2025 In keeping with tradition, outgoing President Joe Biden accompanied Trump to the US Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony while outgoing Vice-President Kamala Harris joined Vance at the White House before heading to the Capitol. Prior to the ceremony, Trump and his wife Melania had pre-inauguration tea with Joe and Jill Biden at the White House. CNN reported that Joe Biden left a letter for Trump in the Oval Office, a customary gesture between outgoing and incoming presidents. The ceremonial proceedings began with Vance being sworn in as Vice President, followed by Trump taking the presidential oath of office and delivering his inaugural address. The ceremony occurred roughly two weeks after Congress certified Trump’s electoral college victory. Donald Trump's wife, Melania Trump, arrived at Rotunda along with Vance's wife, Usha Vance. Biden's wife, Jill Biden and Kamala Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, arrived ahead of them.Trump's cabinet nominees took seats ahead of his inauguration. Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and tech billionaire Elon Musk, the co-chairs of the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, also attended the ceremony.Former US Presidents and First ladies, including Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, George Bush and Laura Bush attended Trump's inauguration. Former US President Barack Obama was also present during the ceremony.Donald Trump's children -- Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Tiffany Trump, Eric Trump and Baron Trump were present in US Capitol to attend his inauguration. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Google CEO Sundar Pichai attended the ceremony.After the swearing-in, President Trump will take part in the signing ceremony in the President's Room, a tradition that began in 1981 with President Ronald Reagan. This event marks one of the first official actions of the newly sworn president, where he signs nominations and various memorandums or proclamations.Following the signing, a luncheon will be held, and Trump will take part in the review of the troops before heading to Capitol Hill to join the inaugural parade. Later, Trump and his wife will participate in a signing ceremony at the White House and deliver remarks at the Convention Centre.The evening will conclude with the first dance at the Liberty Ball, followed by participation in the Commander-in-Chief Ball and the United Station Ball. The day will end with Trump's return to the White House.
21 January,2025 12:00 PM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondentWith a call for 'collaboration for the intelligent age', the World Economic Forum began its annual meeting in Davos on by conferring legendary footballer David Beckham and two others with the prestigious Crystal Awards and an opening concert that brought together classical music and AI-generated visuals to spotlight an urgent environmental crisis facing Antarctica, reported news agency PTI. Several Indian leaders also reached this ski resort town to participate in the biggest confluence of top global leaders from arenas ranging from the government to businesses to civil society to academia, art and culture, reported PTI. WEF President and CEO Borge Brense said the meeting is taking place at one of the most uncertain moments in a generation, as new geoeconomic, geopolitical and technological forces reshape our societies. The dynamic changes taking place are creating both significant challenges to address, as well as important opportunities, particularly regarding fast-evolving technologies, to unlock, he said. In convening 3,000 leaders from around the world and across the public and private sectors, our aim is to help strengthen or build the collaboration needed for this unique moment, he said in his welcome message for nearly 3,000 leaders from across the globe participating in the five-day meeting that will continue till January 24, reported PTI. "I look forward to the constructive dialogue that will take place in Davos this week, which I am confident will have an important impact on the year ahead, and beyond," Brense said about the 55th WEF Annual Meeting which has selected 'Collaboration in an intelligent age' as its theme, reported PTI. Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is leading a big Indian delegation that comprises a strong representation of states, said he will highlight India's Development Model at Davos and the country's vision for inclusive growth and digital transformation. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said his state would be meeting the world at the meeting and was aspiring to break new ground on the global stage. Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu said he along with his team was ready to put Andhra Pradesh back on the global investment map, reported PTI. While the major sessions and plenary speeches will begin on Tuesday, the opening evening on Monday saw star footballer David Beckham, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and renowned architect Riken Yamamoto getting the Crystal Awards, reported PTI. The dynamic changes taking place are creating both significant challenges to address, as well as important opportunities, particularly regarding fast-evolving technologies, to unlock, he said. In convening 3,000 leaders from around the world and across the public and private sectors, our aim is to help strengthen or build the collaboration needed for this unique moment, he said in his welcome message for nearly 3,000 leaders from across the globe participating in the five-day meeting that will continue till January 24, reported PTI. The awards function was followed by an opening concert that turned out to be a spectacular and emotionally engaging moment when the best of classical music, electronic compositions and AI-generated visual experiences to an extraordinary event under the theme of preserving the glaciers. In alignment with the UN's declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Glacier Preservation, the concert spotlighted the urgent environmental crisis facing Antarctica, home to 91% of the world's glaciers, reported PTI. Besides business and government leaders from across the world, the meeting is also attended every year by several renowned people from fields of art, culture, entertainment, and civil society, among others. The WEF said the Crystal Award celebrates the achievements of cultural leaders who have made significant contributions to advancing social, environmental and creative progress worldwide, reported PTI. This year's awardees span diverse fields, including architecture, fashion and sport, and are recognised for notable efforts in advancing community regeneration, gender equality, children's rights, and more. Yamamoto, also a 2024 Pritzker Prize laureate, will be honoured with the 2025 Crystal Award for his outstanding contributions to architecture and society, reported PTI. Furstenberg, a celebrated fashion designer, philanthropist and champion of women's rights, is being awarded for her contributions to empowering women through philanthropy, mentorship and social responsibility. As founder of her eponymous brand and creator of the iconic wrap dress, she has consistently championed women's independence and strength as a leading voice in the movement for gender equality and women's rights. Furstenberg also serves on the board of Vital Voices Global Partnership, a non-profit organisation founded in 1997, reported PTI. The former English footballer is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and global advocate for children's rights. He is being given the Crystal Award in recognition of his long-term humanitarian work and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children worldwide, the WEF said, reported PTI. Through his relentless dedication to children's education, protection and well-being, Beckham has emerged as a powerful global leader in advocacy for the rights of vulnerable children worldwide, using his platform and resources to create lasting, positive change, it added, reported PTI. Through his work with UNICEF, he has raised awareness of the importance of immunisation, and he is a long-time campaigner for malaria prevention. The awards were presented by Hilde Schwab, Chairwoman and Co-Founder of the World Economic Forum's World Arts Forum. (With inputs from PTI)
21 January,2025 11:42 AM IST | Davos | mid-day online correspondentJoe Biden on Monday wrapped up a more than 50-year political career, but promised that "we're not leaving the fight", as he bid farewell to the presidency and flew to California to unwind with his family and ease back into private life. Biden spoke not long after watching his successor, Republican President Donald Trump, pledge during his inaugural address to "completely and totally reverse" everything that his Democratic predecessor did. In the final hours before the noontime transfer of executive power, Biden extended courtesies to the man he turned out of the Oval Office four years ago. Trump denied losing the 2020 election and refused to offer similar niceties to Biden upon his inauguration in 2021. The bitter cold day opened with Biden and his wife, Jill, receiving Trump, and his wife, Melania, for a traditional Inauguration Day meet-and-greet over tea at the White House. "Welcome home," Biden told Trump. Afterward, the rivals who share a history of political animosity rode in a limousine to the Capitol where Trump was sworn in as the 47th president. "Our recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal," Trump said about the work of the Biden administration. Biden sat expressionless in the front row. As Trump gave his address, the residence staff at the White House got to work. clearing out the remainder of Biden's belongings so they could move Trump and his family back in. The work included redecorating the Oval Office in time for Trump to sign a series of executive orders. Walls in the press offices that were bare in the morning after most of the staff had ended their government service were decorated by midafternoon with fresh photographs of Trump. After Trump's address, the new president and his wife walked the Bidens outside to a helicopter that had been waiting on the Capitol grounds to fly them to Joint Base Andrews for a farewell event with his staff. "We couldn't have done anything we did without you," Biden told them. "No president gets to choose the moment they enter history, but they get to choose the team they enter history with and we chose the best damn team in the world." Even though they may feel "knocked down" by the turn of events, he said what was important was how quickly they get back up. "We're leaving office. We're not leaving the fight," Biden said, urging them to stay engaged. He also appeared to joke about Trump's speech, chuckling as he said, "We heard the inaugural address today. We got a lot more to do." Biden then made the sign of the cross and everyone laughed. He and the first lady then walked across the tarmac to the familiar blue-and-white plane he flew on as president for the flight to Santa Ynez, California, where they planned to unwind with family. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 08:18 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesGaza has received a major influx of aid and goods, with 915 trucks crossing into the territory on the second day of the ceasefire, the United Nations said. UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said colleagues in Gaza informed the UN that 915 trucks -- significantly higher than the 600 trucks called for in the ceasefire -- entered Gaza on Monday, based on information from Israeli authorities and the guarantors of the ceasefire agreement. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said Sunday the needs in Gaza are staggering and his office said Monday that aid workers are ramping up the delivery of food, clean water, shelter materials and other essential supplies. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that the more than 2 million people in Gaza, about half of them children, depend on this aid, Haq said. The World Health Organization, meanwhile, has a 60-day plan to increase beds and deploy overseas health workers to Gaza hospitals, but some 30,000 Palestinians have life-changing injuries and need specialised care, Haq said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 08:17 AM IST | United Nations | APIsrael freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees early on Monday, hours after three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza returned to Israel. Large white buses carrying the detainees exited the gates of Israel’s Ofer prison, just outside the West Bank city of Ramallah, as celebratory fireworks erupted overhead. Crowds of Palestinians thronged the buses, chanting and cheering. According to a list provided by the Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs, all of those released were women or minors. Israel detained all of the people on the list for what it said were offences related to the country’s security, from throwing stones to more serious accusations. The Israeli military, which occupies the West Bank, warned Palestinians against any form of public celebration. The release took place in the middle of the night, in what Palestinians criticised as an attempt to dampen the mood and deter crowds from welcoming the prisoners home. Houthis to limit attacks in Red Sea Yemen’s Houthi rebels have signalled they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold. The Houthis made the announcement in an email sent to shippers and others on Sunday. The Houthis have targeted about 100 merchant vessels since October 2023. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 08:16 AM IST | Ramallah | AgenciesExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Washington DC. Jaishankar said they discussed the progress in their bilateral cooperation and took stock of Quad’s developments. Prior to that, Jaishankar also met Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong in Washington DC. He said he enjoyed their discussion on the state of the world. Jaishankar is representing the Indian government at the swearing-in ceremony of Donald Trump as the 47th US President. During the visit, he will have meetings with representatives of the incoming administration, as well as some other dignitaries visiting the US for the occasion. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 08:15 AM IST | Washington DC | AgenciesA group of pro-Khalistan extremists stormed a cinema in the London town of Harrow and attempted to stop the screening of the Kangana Ranaut starrer film ‘Emergency’, the social movement of British Hindus and Indians, Insight UK, stated on Monday. Taking to X, UK Insights posted a video where it showed the extremists shouting pro-Khalistani slogans during the screening of the film, which was centred around India’s 1975 emergency period. Notably, in 2023, the Indian High Commission in London faced a violent attack by Khalistani supporters who were attempting to further the cause of Khalistan, advocating for the secession of the state of Punjab from India, as alleged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to the NIA, the attacks in London were perpetrated in retaliation to the action taken by Punjab police against Amritpal Singh, Chief of Waris Punjab De, with the objective of influencing the crackdown on the outfit and its leader. ‘Emergency’, which was released on January 17, 2025, revolves around the period of emergency declared by Indira Gandhi for 21 months from 1975 to 1977. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 08:14 AM IST | London | AgenciesChina on Monday executed the man who drove his car into people exercising outside a stadium on November 11, 2024, killing 35 people and injuring more than 40 others. Fan Weiqiu, 62, who was stated to be angry over the division of the property after his divorce, carried out the attack a day before the Chinese military held its prestigious air show in Zhuhai City. He was executed less than a month after a court sentenced him to death. China has been grappling with a spate of public violence of late. The incidents are routinely blamed on disgruntled elements. In July 2024, eight people were killed and five injured after a vehicle crashed into pedestrians. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 08:12 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesDonald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the US as during the 60th Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. US Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath to Trump. Prior to Trump’s swearing-in, J D Vance was sworn-in as US Vice-President. Vice President Kamala Harris accompanied the VP elect to the Capitol. Earlier, Trump alongside outgoing US President Joe Biden arrived at US Capitol from White House for the swearing-in ceremony. This comes after Trump along with his wife Milania had pre-inauguration tea with Joe and Jill Biden at the White House. Joe Biden confirmed that he left a letter in the Oval Office for Trump. Former US Presidents and First ladies, including Bill Clinton and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, George Bush and Laura Bush, and Barack Obama attended Trump’s inauguration. After the swearing-in, President Trump will take part in the signing ceremony in the President’s Room, a tradition that began in 1981 with President Ronald Reagan. This event marks one of the first official actions of the newly sworn president, where he signs nominations and various memorandums or proclamations. Following the signing, a luncheon will be held, and Trump will take part in the review of the troops before heading to Capitol Hill to join the inaugural parade. Later, Trump and his wife will participate in a signing ceremony at the White House and deliver remarks at the Convention Centre. The evening will conclude with the first dance at the Liberty Ball, followed by participation in the Commander-in-Chief Ball and the United Station Ball. The day will end with Trump’s return to the White House. Bitcoin soars past US$ 1,00,000 The price of bitcoin surged to over US$ 109,000 early on Monday, just hours ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, as a pumped up cryptocurrency industry bets he’ll take action son after returning to the White House. Bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, was created in 2009 as a kind of electronic cash. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 January,2025 08:12 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesUS Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson on Monday showed the 'behind the scenes activity' before the inauguration of the 47th US President-Elect Donald Trump, ANI reported. In a video posted on X, Johnson revealed the grandeur of the Capitol and said that he acknowledged the sentiments of the people who wished to attend the inauguration ceremony but couldn't. In a video captioned "Tomorrow begins a new Golden Age in America!", Johnson showed the interior of the US Capitol building. Tomorrow begins a new Golden Age in America! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/o8W7K0D2Bg — Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 19, 2025 "Hey everybody, Speaker Mike Johnson here. We're right outside the people's house in the people's rotunda. As you can see as we pan around, there's a lot of activity being done here for the inauguration of our 47th President," he said. Johnson stated that the weather would be 'fierce' on the day of the inauguration, and hence the event would take place indoors. "We had to kind of call an audible here. The weather outside is pretty fierce. It will be really even worse tomorrow. And so I know there are a lot of people disappointed because they wanted to be out on that national mall. We would have had hundreds of thousands of people, but we had to do it this way. And I think it's better as President Trump said because of the weather for everyone in their best interest. But I just wanted to show you very briefly this stage here in the rotunda. Many of you I'm sure have been here before. This is normally a blank and open," he said. Johnson also acknowledged the work put in by staff who made a lot of arrangements in the last 24 hours, ANI cited. "They built this entire apparatus in about a 24-hour period. The staff's done an extraordinary job having called this audible to do this. Haven't been done like this in 40 years, since 1985 under Ronald Reagan. This one, they tell me though, will be even more grand," he said. Johnson further pointed at the entrance and said that he would be walking the President-Elect from there, and showcased the beautiful design on the roof. "So I'll be walking the President out here tomorrow for a glorious day and the beginning of a new golden age in America. The Capitol building. This Capitol Dome is the most recognized symbol in the world. It recognizes it symbolizes freedom to people everywhere. And tomorrow, we will celebrate our great republic here and the inauguration of our 47th president, Donald J Trump. We're so excited. You can watch along on television, but I know so many of you will be here in spirit. God bless you. Go America," he said. According to ANI, as the meteorologists predicted one of the coldest inauguration days in recent history, Trump moved his upcoming inauguration ceremony indoors. "There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don't want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way," Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social. Yet, many of Trump's supporters braved the icy polar vortex on Saturday (local time) to catch a glimpse of the inaugural events leading up to his swearing-in ceremony. Visuals showed several supporters filming the fireworks that took place at Trump National Golf Club and wearing "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) caps. (With ANI inputs)
20 January,2025 10:43 AM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondentExpressing gratitude to US President-elect Donald Trump for "providing the necessary clarity and assurance," the Chinese short-form video service app TikTok has confirmed that it was in the process of restoring service in the United States. This development comes after Trump pledged to restore access to TikTok, which had stopped functioning in the US on Saturday night to comply with the Biden dispensation's ban order. STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170… — TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025 In a post on X on Sunday, TikTok stated, "In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive." "It's a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States," the post added. Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he plans to issue an executive order on Monday to delay the enforcement of the TikTok ban for 90 days. "I'm asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security," he said, reported ANI. "The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order. Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations," he added. He further, outlined a proposal for the US to hold a 50 per cent ownership stake in a joint venture involving TikTok. "I would like the United States to have a 50 per cent ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to stay up. Without US approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions," he said, reported ANI. "Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the US gets a 50 per cent ownership in a joint venture set up between the US and whichever purchase we so choose," he added, reported ANI. TikTok went offline in the US on Saturday night (local time), just hours before a law banning the app was set to take effect, CNN reported. The users who tried to access the platform were met with a message stating, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now." The ban follows a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that upheld a law passed with bipartisan support in Congress and signed by US President Joe Biden in April. According to CNN, the law prohibits US companies from hosting or serving content for the Chinese-owned platform unless TikTok is sold to a US-based or allied company. (With inputs from ANI)
20 January,2025 10:25 AM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
